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Women's Social Bonds in Greek and Roman Comedy

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Women's Social Bonds in Greek and Roman Comedy Women’s Social Bonds in Greek and Roman Comedy A dissertation submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in the Department of Classics of the College of Arts and Sciences 2011 by Anne C. Feltovich B.A. Grinnell College – Grinnell, IA 2003 Committee Chair: Kathryn Gutzwiller, Ph.D. Committee Members: Holt Parker, Ph.D. Susan Prince, Ph.D. Abstract This project evaluates a range of social relationships between women in Greek and Roman comedy, focusing on the four authors from whom we have the most extant material: Aristophanes, Menander, Plautus, and Terence. I examine how social and familial bonds between women affect the risks they are willing to take on behalf of other women in their social circles. Scholarship on women in comedy has focused on their relationships to men, but my research takes the study of women in a new direction by evaluating their relationships with each other. Although comedy itself focuses on the social world of men, I am able to uncover significant information about women’s subculture in comedy by reading the plays from an alternative perspective. References to relationships between women are scattered and often indirect, but by compiling the evidence I demonstrate in Chapter 2 that the depiction of women’s social networks is consistent across all four authors. With this background, I examine the bonds between women more closely in the remaining chapters. Chapter 3 looks at three plays of Aristophanes, in which large communities of women cooperate to improve the lives of all women, often requiring individuals to take personal risks for the betterment of the group. Chapter 4 investigates relationships between courtesans in New Comedy, a genre in which this type of character sometimes features prominently. A close reading of the texts makes it apparent that courtesans act not just as a result of economic constraints, but equally because of emotional bonds with friends and family members. Finally, Chapter 5 examines instances of ethical deliberation by females in New Comedy, showing that women of all social classes exhibit ethical behavior even when it requires serious social and physical risks. ii © Anne C. Feltovich 2011 iii Acknowledgements This dissertation was made possible by the professional and personal encouragement of many. I offer my profound thanks to my director, Kathryn Gutzwiller, who helped me find my voice, and whose high standards have helped me produce a work of which I am proud. My committee members, Holt Parker and Susan Prince, have offered invaluable advice and guidance, and I am grateful for their careful reading. Any errors which remain are my own. A number of Cincinnati faculty have also contributed greatly to my professional and intellectual development, including Barbara Burrell, Harry Gotoff, William Johnson, and Kathleen Lynch. I have been the fortunate recipient of a number of grants, including the University Distinguished Graduate Student Fellowship, the University Graduate Scholarship, the Louise Taft Semple Scholarship, and the Fulbright-Hays Grant. My research would not have been possible without the John Miller Burnam Classics Library and the assistance of its very knowledgeable staff, Jacquie Riley, David Ball, and Mike Braunlin. I am also indebted to the American School of Classical Studies at Athens and its Blegen Library. Additional thanks go to Kirk Ormand of Oberlin College, who was generous with his time and advice while we were at the American School and I was far from my usual mentors. Finally, I would not be who I am without the support of my very large, very academic family and a number of wonderful friends. My life is enriched by Alder Brannin, Maccabee White, and the unfailing support of Allison Sterrett-Krause, who has been my dearest friend since my first week in Cincinnati. My parents (Joan and Paul) and siblings (Ellen and Andy) have always believed in me, pushing and pulling me towards the finish line, never doubting that I would make it. I dedicate this work to my mother, whose fight for women in academia made my career, and my dreams, possible. iv Table of Contents Chapter 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 A. Studies of Women in Comedy ............................................................................................... 5 B. Relationships between Women in Other Genres.................................................................. 14 C. Relationships between Women in Comedy ......................................................................... 21 D. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 28 Chapter 2. Female Social Networks in Comedy........................................................................... 30 A. Defining a Woman’s Social Network .................................................................................. 31 B. Occasions for Women to Congregate................................................................................... 40 C. The Role of the Social Network........................................................................................... 48 i. Aristophanes’ Lysistrata.................................................................................................... 49 ii. Menander’s Samia ............................................................................................................ 50 iii. Plautus’ Casina................................................................................................................ 53 iv. Terence’ Adelphoe ........................................................................................................... 57 D. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 63 Chapter 3. Solidarity by Gender: The Women of Aristophanes................................................... 64 A. Thesmophoriazusae: Women, Men, and the Public Discourse about Gender Roles in the Home......................................................................................................................................... 66 B. Lysistrata: Women, Men, and the Public Discourse about Military Policy......................... 74 C. Ecclesiazusae: Women, Men, and the Public Discourse about Government....................... 90 D. Conclusion: Gender and Public Voice in Aristophanes....................................................... 98 Chapter 4. Solidarity by Class: Relationships between Courtesans ........................................... 100 A. Menander’s Dis Exapaton and Synaristosai ...................................................................... 105 B. Plautus’ Bacchides: Sisters and Business Partners ............................................................ 107 C. Plautus’ Asinaria: Mothers and Daughters in the Trade.................................................... 115 D. Plautus’ Cistellaria: Friendship between Courtesans ........................................................ 125 i. Solidarity by ordo ............................................................................................................ 126 ii. Friendship between two young courtesans: Gymnasium and Selenium ........................ 129 iii. Friendship between two retired courtesans: Syra and Melaenis.................................... 131 iv. When friendship is at odds with motherhood ................................................................ 133 v. Mother and daughter: Melaenis and Selenium ............................................................... 135 v vi. Citizens, courtesans, and slaves: cross-class relationships............................................ 139 vii. Summary....................................................................................................................... 143 E. Terence’s Eunuch: Affection for a Foster Sister ................................................................ 144 F. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 153 Chapter 5: Ethical Deliberation among Women in New Comedy.............................................. 155 A. Plautus’ Stichus: Sisters, Wives, and Daughters (in that Order)........................................ 156 B. Plautus’ Casina: Friendship between Established Matronae ............................................. 165 C. Terence’ Hecyra: Four Women in a Quandary.................................................................. 176 i. Myrrhina’s Choice ........................................................................................................... 178 ii. Sostrata’s Choice ............................................................................................................ 184 iii. Bacchis’ Choice............................................................................................................. 187 iv. Philumena’s Choice ....................................................................................................... 195 v. Summary......................................................................................................................... 196 D. Menander’s Epitrepontes: A Courtesan Meets her Lover’s Wife...................................... 198 E. Menander’s Samia: The
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